Crossroads
by Sallvi
Summary: An OC x Vincent story with many twists and eventual smut. It starts out fairly slow, with Ciel meeting a strange woman, but will delve into Vincent's life in the second chapter (on Ao3, link inside). There may be some implied Sebastian ships, but it will mostly consist of Vincent x Rachel, Vincent x OC, Ciel x Lizzy, and some Sebastian x OC.


(Note: this story originally had visual elements within it, and was posted on my Ao3 originally. I will link that here:

/works/11758905/chapters/26505363

It has pictures and is a lot more interactive than this one here, so I'd read it there. Thanks!)

England, 1889

Years flew by like days when Sebastian found himself enjoying his corporeal existence. Days of tedium affected the stability of his temperament, though. The role of the unassuming, yet clever butler was starting to wear this demon down. He was beyond human comprehension, grandiose to the point of nausea, a being composed of only his own pompous will and obscene hunger, and yet, here he was muddling about a manor at his Master's behest. To the current Head of the Phantomhive family, he was but a tool to be used, a chess piece the boy toyed with while he played his arbitrary game.

Many demons found making contracts with humans to be one of the most reprehensible acts a demon could commit. To lower oneself so as to bow before a human master was a humiliating act, especially for a being so great and ubiquitous as a demon. A human life was nothing but a sliver of happiness and pain compared to the life of those who resided in the ethereal realm.

Many demons found the...vices of the human world to be particularly entrancing, though. A peek into that world and into the small and humble life of a human would be payment enough for some demons, but that was not how many demons came to take on their corporeal forms. For the majority of demons who ventured into the human world, though, souls were their means as well as their end.

It was for the promise of a soul that Sebastian seamlessly tackled the task of single-handedly running a manor. This in and of itself could provide Sebastian with a sense of accomplishment some days. Lately, however, the unbearable ennui produced by the simple life of master and servant has made Sebastian restless.

The troublesome burden of caring for and serving the Earl "Ciel Phantomhive" while nothing of note happened around them wearied Sebastian. The demon's true pleasure was sought and found in watching his Young Master struggle and squirm in his violence enraptured world. There has been none of that as of late, though.

A Welcome Surprise

"Yes, it was such a terrible tragedy indeed. Oh, but you see Ciel was quite clever, so we found our own way onto the deck!" Elizabeth gushes proudly, a blush growing on her delicate face. "It really was quite romantic how Ciel chose to stay with me! I love him so much!"

The woman sitting opposite to her answers Elizabeth giddily, "My, how fortunate! That disastrous voyage must have taxed you both greatly. I am so very happy both of you are well though." The woman smiles unreservedly.

Elizabeth then turns to Edward, who sits with her upon a lavishly upholstered settee. There's a tinge of chagrin on his face with a blush to go along with it. Having kept his eyes averted from both his sister and the guest they're meant to be entertaining for the day, Edward is taken by surprise when Elizabeth ropes him into the conversation. Pinching and pulling him closer by the cuff of his coat, Elizabeth begins her inquiry about his time upon the Campania.

"Oh, Edward, how was it you, mother, and father got along while those... things arrested the ship? You protected many of the other passengers, right? They were quite grotesque, were they not?" Elizabeth then turns back to the guest she and her brother brought along, "It was quite an ordeal, but brother remained stoic. He can tell you—"

The opening and closing of a door cut Elizabeth off.

The Earl and his butler have returned.

Both Sebastian and the young Earl are surprised to see Edward, Elizabeth, and a stranger seated in the drawing room. Sebastian's surprise soon turns to amusement, though, leaving his Master alone in his bewilderment.

"Ciel" only managed to steal a few quick glances at the strange woman presumably invited to his manor by his fiancée. He caught her honey colored eyes, as they were trained on him. Her face and features were soft, but there was a sharpness to her eyes as she stared at him, simpering. Does he know her? "Ciel" isn't given time to contemplate, as Elizabeth pounces on him almost the instant she realizes he's back.

"Ciel! Ciel! It's been so long since I last saw you!" Elizabeth chatters as she squeezes and holds him close to her.

Edward, while not normally delighted to see his sister behave in such a manner, currently has no qualms about the situation. Keeping his eyes averted from the woman he had almost been forced to speak to. He's still somewhat scandalized by… that time, as well as… Edward shakes his head. He prefers not to think about any of that right now. Instead, he focuses intently on his sister embracing and coddling her beloved. "Ciel" would never understand just how grateful he is for his appearance.

The coddling and cuddling goes on for a few more seconds before "Ciel" finally allows himself to ask who exactly Elizabeth's guest was.

"It's good to see you as well, Lizzy, but why exactly did you decide to visit?" The boy casts his eyes over to the smiling stranger.

Elizabeth, understanding, quickly moves to introduce her guest.

"This is Miss Brunhilde Spellman. She was my nursemaid. Hildy used to play with us all the time when you came to visit Edward and I. Do you remember Hildy at all?" Elizabeth asks with an innocent smile.

"Ciel" manages a cordial smile even though his stomach dropped when he heard the word "remember." He hates these little games he has to play with everyone. Taking a second look at the woman, he (fortunately) recognizes her soft features. There's a certain haze over her face in the memories he does have of her, but he can still honestly say that he does remember her now.

There's also something about her eyes that seems familiar, but not in the way Elizabeth had led him to believe they were. There was a warmth to them, something akin to what he remembered his mother's doey eyes being like, though they were blue while this woman's are brown.

"Ah, yes, I do remember her now." Turning to "Hildy," as Elizabeth affectionately refers to her, he continues, "It is good to see you again Miss Spellman. I hope you have been in good health and spirits in the time since I last saw you."

Still simpering unassumingly, she answers, "If I may ask, please call me Hildy, Earl Phantomhive. I have been exceedingly well the last few years, and I must say it pleases me to no end to see you again, Earl. I'm also glad to see you in such good health, as if memory serves me correctly, you were quite the sickly child."

"Ciel's" pulse quickens as his heart becomes lodged in his throat. Sebastian snorts in the smallest of ways. "Ciel" notes his butler's amusement as he does his best to give a convincing chuckle. "I'm sorry, but you must have mistaken me for my brother. He was the sickly one."

"Oh, my! I am quite mortified! I hope you will forgive me, Earl. I see now," she answers, her expression reflective of her words.

"Ciel" doubts her sincerity, though he assures himself it is simply his paranoia goading him on. "It's perfectly understandable to forget after being away for so long. You really mustn't feel too terribly bad about it. It was an honest mistake."

"Yes, it won't do anyone any good to fret about it, Hildy. Why don't we all take a tour of the gardens. They're quite beautiful Hildy! I'm sure you'll love them!" Elizabeth chirps as she holds steadfastly to "Ciel's" arm.

"Actually, I'm rather peckish Lizzy. I propose we have tea in the garden, and then we may tour them," the boy says to his fiancée.

"That would be wonderful, Ciel! Sebastian's sweets are always so delicious!"

"That does sound marvelous," Hildy comments as she begins to stand. Her legs don't seem able to bear her weight, though, and they give out. She begins to swoon.

Before his name is even all the way off his Master's lips, Sebastian is there. Edward could scarcely even step in the direction of Hildy before Sebastian arrived at her side and caught her. A blush settles over Edward's face once he realizes what his body had been prepared to do. He supposes it's just another side-effect of being raised by Frances Midford. Edward was quite content with not being the one saddled with holding his former nursemaid, though. He would have been beyond scandalized in that case.

Sebastian holds the unconscious and limp woman with affected care. He had sensed that there was something "off" about her, but now that he was so close to her he struck with a certain clarity about her state of being.

It would seem as though he had received a short respite from the day's tedium.

When Hildy next opens her eyes, she's settled in a splendidly decorated guest bedroom. Remaining reclined in the bed, she takes a deep breath in through her nose and smiles. The room smells clean and pure. Everything is pristine and light.

As Hildy begins to sit up from the gaudy bed, Sebastian pops out, a bouquet of flowers in hand and a "cute" smile on his face. Hildy's surprise soon melts into a mild expression.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asks with a somewhat affected smile.

Sebastian steps back and gives her room to rise from the bed as he offers her an explanation. "Ah, you see it's to Lady Elizabeth you owe your gratitude. Though incapacitated, she thought you should still be able to appreciate the beauty the gardens offer."

"Oh, I shall have to thank her then. She is a most kind girl," Hildy answers, her words and grateful expression most likely not entirely not sincere.

Sebastian's "cute" smile and idol-like persona begins to fade. He's growing bored of this little exchange already.

"Thank you as well, sir."

"There really is no need, though I really must inquire about your condition before I am permitted to leave."

Hildy smiles. "I'm quite all right now, I assure you."

A smirk begins to tug at the ends of Sebastian's lips as well. "Is that really all, Miss Spellman?"

"You are beyond intuitive, sir."

"I assure you, I am simply one hell of a butler."

Sebastian arrives outside without delay. "Ciel" and Elizabeth sit comfortably at a small table while Edward is off speaking with Baldroy. They appear to be having quite a lively conversation while "Ciel" simply listens to Elizabeth prattle off she believes would interest "Ciel."

"Ciel" doesn't appear to be having an entirely bad time "conversing" with his fiancée when Sebastian interrupts them. Elizabeth is the first to notice him and in doing so, asks about Hildy.

"She is entirely fine Lady Elizabeth. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I must inform the Young Master of something." Sebastian then leans down to "Ciel's" willing ear and begins to whisper.

The young Earl's face alights as Sebastian speaks. Of course, Elizabeth must know what Sebastian has just whispered to her fiancé.

"What, what is it Ciel?!"

"Huh?" he says, still stunned. Sebastian begins to simper as his Young Master further struggles to subdue his fiancée's questions.

Elizabeth repeats herself to him once again. "What did Sebastian say, Ciel?!"

"Ah, he uh, he didn't uh—leave us Sebastian—he...Well, um," the boy continues trying to explain to Elizabeth something that completely mortifies him to think about.

"I'm sorry Young Master, but if you could only task me—"

"Leave us and go wait on that woman!"

Content with the distress he's caused his Master, Sebastian saunters away from the chaos unfolding in the garden and back to the manor.

Sebastian is more amused than annoyed when he finds the guest room empty. It should only take him a few moments to locate the absentee guest, but he decides to drag out the search just a bit more than he ought to of. Holding the tea tray he had originally prepared to serve Hildy in the guest room, he arrives outside his Master's office. Within it is Hildy, seemingly rifling through "Ciel's" effects.

"Do you really think it wise to be exerting yourself so soon after fainting while in your condition?" Sebastian chides. He now sees that she hasn't been haphazardly going through his Master's things, but rather, searching for the contents of a secret compartment within the wall that had been evacuated long ago. Sebastian smiles as he steps forward, setting the tea tray down upon the desk. "So you're acquainted with this manor, are you?"

Hildy doesn't seem to be at all startled or intimidated by Sebastian's presence. She confidently strides forward to meet the smirking butler. "I suppose knowing about all of these little… quirks tells my age."

Sebastian calmly sashays behind his Master's desk, making quick work of locating exactly what Hildy appears to be searching for. His grin tells all as he lays the photographs upon the desk. His mischievous spirit was at work again, exploiting every loophole his Master provided him with.

Many of the photographs are burnt at the edges. There only appeared to be a few of note in Hildy's mind, though.

She picks up one of the former Earl and his wife on their wedding day, examining it tenderly. "They were both quite beautiful then, were they not?"

Master Vincent and Lady Rachel

Hildy then picks up another photograph.

"I knew her. She served under the Lady Claudia Phantomhive. Then under Master Vincent. I do not think the Earl knew her though. Perhaps she was there though… there when the fire started. Quite a tragedy…" Hildy distantly laments over photo.

Miss Scarlett Hanna

"My, my. Were you once a servant here?" Sebastian asks, intrigued.

"No, but I knew the Phantomhives quite well… Perhaps I shouldn't have returned. I am in no condition for bad humors, after all."

"Yes, I must agree." Sebastian tosses a glance at her as she pores over yet another photograph. With all her talk about the Phantomhives, he's inclined to believe that she's at least a good bit into her thirties. It's simple a statement of fact that she has a youthful glow about her, though the demon must admit, it's most likely simply that glow.

Hildy then turns to Sebastian, her hands still clutching a photograph. "Truly, how did you know about my pregnancy? I'm incredibly early on."

"Women who are with child have a special way about them. You glow with an internal light."

Hildy smiles.

With Elizabeth and Co. having departed from the manor hours ago, Sebastian knew the loud thuds and crashes coming from his Young Master's study was either going to lead to something incredibly troublesome, or something incredibly interesting.

The shocking scene Sebastian was faced with at "Ciel's" office proved to be the latter for the demon. His Young Master was, in all honesty, throwing one of the worst temper tantrums the butler had ever seen in his entire existence. Different papers and documents coated the floor with some still even wafting through the air.

"Ciel" stood in the midst of it all, his body heaving from all the exertion. His face, red from his vigorous acts of violence upon his possessions and his expression a mix of ire, pain, and resolve.

Somehow the boy manages to speak. "Where… Where is it Sebastian?"

"What, Young Master? Where is what?"

Losing his false composure, he exclaims, "The photo! Where is it! Where is the photograph!"


End file.
